


0-8-4 Part II: Billet-Doux

by bluecinderella4



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-09
Updated: 2013-11-22
Packaged: 2018-01-01 00:12:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1038043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluecinderella4/pseuds/bluecinderella4
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A message with a seemingly unknown origin begins to circulate throughout the BUS.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Stupid Idea to Begin With

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, this first chapter is merely a set up chapter. I won't be revealing much about what happens. The plot does continue as the story gets underway though. I've tried to be sneaky and hide future plot points as well.
> 
> Please enjoy.

Skye usually slept in when it was a lazy day, but following yesterday's events she found herself waking up earlier than usual. "Ugh," she glanced at the nearby alarm clock. "Eight A.M.? Seriously?" Groaning, she got out of bed, got dressed (skipping her usual morning shower), and left her bunk to do something she wouldn't normally do. She headed down the hall knowing the morning routine: Coulson would be in his office, May would be flying the plane, Ward would be in the workout area, and Fitz and Simmons would be in the lab working on some science experiment while Skye slept in until nearly ten (the latest Coulson permitted her to sleep til).

This particular morning, however, the routine was thrown off when Skye noticed something peculiar en route to the lab. Sitting in the lounge looking over some notes was Simmons; or more specifically, Simmons without Fitz.

Simmons seemed to have sensed Skye's presence because she looked up from her notes and offered her a warm smile. "Good morning Skye."

"Hi," with confused hesitation, Skye took a seat across from Simmons. "Shouldn't you be in the lab doing some sciency stuff with Fitz?" She looked around for him. "Where is Fitz anyway?"

"Fitz is in the lab."

"And you're not?"

"Fitz has reserved the lab for himself today."

"Um…okay, I didn't know that. You guys can reserve the lab for just one of you? Like, you know, without the other person."

"Of course we can. You know, Fitz and I don't always do everything together. We do work on our own solo projects from time to time."

"What could he be working on without you?"

"I don't know." After a beat, Simmons sighed.

"You alright?" Skye asked with concern for her friend.

"I'm worried about him."

"Fitz? Why should you be worried about him? Okay, wow, that sounded kinda mean but seriously, why are you? We almost lost _you_ yesterday Jemma, not him."

"I can tell he's been up all night, the poor thing. He's wearing the same clothes, it looks like he was pulling at his hair repeatedly, and his workspace is a total mess. Whatever he's working on is important and he needs help with it."

"But not yours?" Simmons shook her head no. "Why?"

Jemma shrugged. "Maybe I've done something to upset him."

"Upset _him_?" Skye was visibly upset for what seemed to be no apparent reason. "Seriously? Okay, let's see what you could have done to upset him, shall we. Did you get him infected with a deadly virus? Let him jump out of a plane to what should have been his imminent death? You damage an invention? Bad mouth monkeys? What on earth could you have possibly done to upset _him_?"

Jemma Simmons let out another, more dejected sigh. "I wish I knew." She leaned back in her seat trying to keep composure.

Skye noticed Simmons had been stung by her outburst so she decided to change topics. "Hey listen, sorry if I seem kinda uptight today."

"I can understand why. Yesterday was pretty…eventful, to say the least."

Thinking back to yesterday's events, the girls didn't say anything for a few moments until Skye broke the silence. "Anyway, I figured you'd be in the lab so I was headed down there to ask if you wanted to get some breakfast."

"That sounds lovely, thank you Skye."

"And since Fitz is busy maybe you and I can…you know…" Simmons gestured for her to keep going. "…hang out?"

Simmons shrugged. "What did you have in mind?"

"I dunno; I don't really hang out with normal people anymore. What do you usually do when you're not in the lab?"

"When I'm by myself I'll read, or waste time on the internet researching trivia while listening to music. When I'm with Fitz we'll play video games or watch movies."

"That sounds like something normal people do. I'm in."

"Really?"

"Yeah, it'll be a sort of girl's day."

Simmons smiled. "I don't think I've ever had one of those."

"Me neither."

"The only person I ever spend time with is Fitz so hanging out with him is probably the closest I've ever come to a girl's day," Simmons then broke into a giggling fit.

"What?"

"I can't."

"What? Tell me?"

"I can't, I promised I wouldn't!"

"Come on! Part of girl's day involves telling each other secrets and mindless gossip. Come on, tell me! I promise I won't tell anyone else."

"Okay," Simmons calmed down and started spilling her secret.

Immediately after hearing the secret, Skye's jaw nearly hit the floor. "No way!"

"It's true!"

"No!"

"Yes!

…

"No!" Leo Fitz crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it aside. He reached for a clean sheet of paper as someone tapped on the lab window. "Go away," the tapping continued. With a growl, he stood up and marched to the window where Grant Ward was waiting. "Lab's closed."

"I need to test that pistol Fitz," Ward told him, "preferably today."

"Fine!" Fitz stomped over to where the Night-Night Pistol rested, grabbed it, and put it in the lab drop's box to transfer it outside of the lab.

"I don't get to come in and get it?"

"Lab's closed. Can't you read the note on the door?"

Ward pointed to the door. "What note?"

Shifting his eyes to the door, Fitz realized that there was in fact no such note. "Dammit!" He cursed himself before he began searching through crumpled paper, unaware that Ward had snuck into the lab. "It's gotta be here somewhere."

While Fitz's back was turned, a curiously suspicious Ward picked up one of the many crumpled balls of paper and examined what was on it. It was when he began chuckling that Fitz finally realized Ward was in the lab. "I can see why you threw this one away."

"Put that down!" When Fitz tried to take it from him, Ward lifted the paper higher and finished looking it over.

"This is what you do with your spare time?"

"How did you get in here?"

"I opened the door."

"Impossible; I locked the door."

"Really?"

Fitz thought about that and soon realized he did not. "Dammit! I knew I forgot something."

Ward leaned against the lab table rereading the paper. "It's a good thing you majored in engineering because this poetry sucks. It is supposed to be poetry right?"

"You can leave now," a humiliated Fitz barely spoke above a whisper.

"Is that what you've been doing here cooped up in the lab? Attempting to write poetry?"

"Please leave."

"Am I to assume that our young Fitz has come down with a serious case of puppy love?"

A now angry Fitz stomped over to Ward, snatched the paper from him, and ripped it up. "I've got work to do so take your gun and go!" Ward folded his arms across his chest and stared blankly at him. "Just go already!" Ward stood still with the same expression. "GO!" Ward shook his head no. "ARRGH!" Fitz kicked some more paper wads before angrily storming back to his workspace.

"You know," Ward reached for another ball of paper and read it over, "I don't think a poem is the best way to tell her that you 'fancy' her."

"How would you know?"

"She doesn't seem like the type of girl who-"

"How the bloody hell would you know what type of girl she is?" Ward seemed taken aback by this sudden change in behavior. "What just because you saved her you think you know her better? Because you don't! You don't know anything about her! So what gives you the right to decide what she does and doesn't like?" All Ward could do was blink in surprise. "You got what you came here for; take it and go!" Ward didn't say anything as he watched Fitz head back to his work space. "I said go!"

"You're in love with Simmons." Fitz froze in his spot. "You're afraid of what's gonna happen if you told her up front." Ward slowly made his way over to the work station and stood across from Fitz. "You're afraid to tell her because you know it will change everything." Ward's response was Fitz trying to look away. "We both know that I'm right."

Fitz finally stared Ward in the face. "I can't run the risk of losing her again." He let out a deep breath and looked at the mess at his usually pristine workspace. "I knew this was a stupid idea to begin with. Honestly, the things I think up at two in the morning."

"You should sleep on this. People don't usually think well when they're sleep deprived. Head on back to your bunk and get some sleep."

"You don't think I've tried? I can't get any sleep! Every time, _every time_ I close my eyes…"

"…you see her fall." Fitz went silent again. "I know you would have gone after her if you could."

"But I didn't. You were the only one who could." He paused. "I never really got the chance to thank you for that."

"No need." There was another moment of silence between them. "I'm right about the poetry thing," Ward spoke up.

"Yeah, I know."

"I may not know a lot about Simmons, or girls, or feelings, crap like that to tell the truth," Fitz made a noise of understanding, "but I was raised to believe that honesty is the best policy. In my experience, women prefer it when men are honest with them."

"What are you getting at?"

"I'm saying that you should just be honest with Simmons."

"Ward, I-"

"And if you can't tell her in person," Ward reached for a clean sheet of paper and a (preferably not chewed-on) pen, "then tell her in writing." He waited until Fitz took the paper and pen from him before leaving the lab.

"Wait," Ward turned around, "you're not gonna get your gun?"

Ward flashed a smirk. "It's still an ounce too heavy."

…

"Good morning Agent Coulson," Agent Hill greeted at the start of their video conference call.

"Maria," Coulson greeted back. "Is there really any need for formalities here? It's just us."

"Is there any point to this conference call _Phil_?" she sarcastically emphasized Coulson's first name.

"First off I wanted to congratulate you on your new office and your modestly successful movie date with Mr. Rogers last Saturday night."

Hill's eyes widened. "How did you know about-"

"And second, I'm letting you know in advanced that I will be sending all necessary paperwork following yesterday's events directly to you in your new office; in addition to a little surprise."

"Surprise?"

Coulson shrugged. "I thought I'd send you something you might like to frame in your new office."

"Something like?"

Coulson smirked. "You'll see."

"Well, thank you for the warning. I will contact you when I receive all the necessary files."

"I'd also like your opinion on my little surprise."

"Should I be alarmed?"

"No; it's a harmless little gesture."

"Coming from you, I think I'll stay wary. And for the record: Rogers and I were not on a date. We went to the movies as friends; just friends and nothing more."

"Uh-huh, sure, you tell yourself that."

"It was not a date!"

"I'm sure Steve's aware of my current state; tell him I said hi," Coulson ended the video chat.

…

"… _I know I don't make my feelings clear, but I can't be without you_ ," Fitz narrated as he wrote, " _I love you_. There, done! That seemed easy enough." He practically threw the pen down as he read over his paper. "What does that say?" He squinted at a particular spot. "Well if I don't know what the hell that says then how will Simmons know?" Fitz was about to crumple the paper and start writing again when he noticed a computer nearby. "Maybe if I typed it," he hurried over to the computer and began typing. When he reached the spot he had trouble reading he typed what he thought it said. "That makes no sense," he read it over again trying to determine what it actually said. "Oh!" It took him a while before he got it right. "Oh, that's what that word was! Wow, I was way off." He went back to typing. "And…done. Now we print," he stopped himself before doing anything else. "Maybe I should just e-mail it to her." Fitz was about to choose that option, but he moved the cursor away from that option. "No! No, it's not as personal through electronic messaging." He moved the cursor over the printing option, but couldn't bring himself to click 'print'. Still, he knew he had to do this. Hands shaking, the engineer clicked 'print' three times. This subsequent maneuver printed three copies of his letter. "Okay, that's done." He organized his workspace, shuffling his handwritten letter amongst a stack of blueprints, personal files, research notes, and outlines for new gadgets, and then breathed a sigh of relief. Leo Fitz had somewhat successfully completed his love letter.

Now he just had to give it to Jemma.


	2. What Am I Taking a Look At

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to name the chapter titles based on lines from the specific chapter. So if you wanna play the 'they said it' game then you're welcome.

Ward huffed as he entered the lab. "What do you want now, Fitz?"

Fitz proudly held the Night-Night Pistol in his hand. "This time, Ward, I have done as you requested."

"Great," as Ward reached for the gun, Fitz started playing keep-away. "What gives?"

"Now I need you to do something for me in return."

Ward groaned. "Is this involving that stupid love letter?"

"You're the only other person who knows about it."

"Unfortunately."

"So you're the only other person I can talk to about it."

"That is also unfortunate."

"And I'm gonna make you a deal: you'll get your Night-Night Pistol-"

"Still not calling it that."

"-when you do me a favor."

The sound of an intercom buzz encompassed the lab. Coulson's voice soon followed with, _"FitzSimmons, I need to see one, or both of you in my office as soon as possible."_

"Aye, sir," Fitz replied.

"The favor?" Ward reminded once the intercom buzzed off. Fitz slipped him a copy of the typed love letter. "Don't tell me; I'm the mailman."

"I was going to compare you to Hermes, the messenger God," Fitz admitted as he shoved another copy of the letter into his pocket, "but mailman works too. Just make sure she gets it and then you get your Night-Night Pistol."

"Again, I'm not calling it that." Unlike Fitz, Ward carefully folded the note and tucked it in his pants pocket.

"Do we have a deal or not?"

Ward flashed a smug smile. "Go see what Coulson wants."

"Was that a yes?" Ward nodded. "Then we have a deal," Fitz took the gun with him before Ward got a hold of it. "You get the Night-Night Pistol after you play mailman."

Once the coast was clear, Ward took another sheet of paper and the pen and quickly jotted something down. When he finished, Ward folded that paper and set it in his T-Shirt pocket. "I'm changing that stupid name," he muttered to himself as he left the lab.

…

As the little interaction between the two boys was happening in the lab, two girls sat in the lounge in a more lighthearted mood.

"I'm gonna have to resist the urge to call him Leona now," Skye

"Well you can't. I'm the only one who knows about that and I wasn't supposed to tell anyone," Simmons reminded.

"Ugh but it's so tempting!"

"Skye!"

"Fine, fine, I won't say anything...to Fitz."

"Skye!"

"If I tell this to Ward and he laughs it'll prove he's not a robot."

"Skye!"

"Robots don't have a sense of humor or emotion!" Simmons shot her a pleading look. "Okay, I won't say anything to anyone."

"Thank you."

"But I would _pay_ anything to see that." Skye's jest sent her and Simmons into a giggling fit.

"Ahem," the giggling was soon interrupted by the serious Ward clearing his throat.

"Can we help you?"

"Shouldn't you be spending your free time more wisely?"

"Is that code for you wanting me in the workout area?"

"You've got less than ten minutes." Ward walked away.

"Yes sir, Sergeant Serious."

"I hope he didn't hear you say that," Simmons said to her.

"Why not? He knows about you guys mocking him and he seemed cool with it."

"Yes, but it's all in good fun. There's not much he can really do about Fitz and I mocking him though; it's not like he's our supervising officer."

"Oh-kay," Skye stressed out that word, "I'm not sure what you meant by that last part."

"I'm suggesting you try to stay on Ward's good side."

"If robots even have a good side."

"Supervising officers have to give detailed reports you know."

Skye's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "No, I didn't know!"

"Oh. Well...you know now."

"What do they do after they finish a report?"

"Once they complete a report they send it in to their superior."

"And Ward's superior is Coulson?"

"Exactly."

"What does Coulson do with the report?"

"Don't quote me on this; but I'm fairly certain he sends it to Director Fury."

"These reports, are they written?"

"They could be. More often than not they're delivered verbally."

"With my luck they're probably verbal."

"There, there, I'm sure the reports aren't that bad."

Skye stood up. "I've gotta find those reports."

"What?" Simmons soon found herself chasing after Skye. "Skye, wait! You don't even know if they exist!"

…

Coulson sat at his desk across from Agent Melinda May, who was staring intently at something that was on S.H.I.E.L.D stationary. "Well?" he prompted.

May frowned as she flipped over the paper Coulson made her overlook. "Really? This is what you want my opinion about?"

"I happen to know you're a sort of…connoisseur of the arts."

"And you think that this drawing of a porcupine beside a piece of poop with knives sticking out of it is art?"

"I'm pleased that you were able to figure out what I drew so quickly. I spent three hours perfecting that drawing."

"The point, Coulson?"

"I just wanted to make sure my art was obvious."

"Please tell me it's not going in a museum."

"It's a gift."

"Let's hope you save the receipt." In immature retaliation, Coulson stuck his tongue out at her. "Is this drawing supposed to symbolize anything?"

"It's an inside joke between friends."

"You have friends?"

Coulson crinkled his nose at her as someone knocked on the office door. "That was faster than I expected. Come in!" An anxious looking Fitz entered his office carrying the Night-Night Pistol. "Fitz, you're looking more nervous than usual. You alright?"

"Fine," Fitz replied. "You wanted to see me Sir?"

"Dr. Streiten was pleased to hear that you were able to find a vaccine-"

"Anti-serum."

"-for Simmons' virus. Streiten wishes to keep your solution in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s medical database in the event that something like this happens again. I promised him I'd send him your notes later this afternoon."

"I actually don't have them with me right now."

"I assumed you wouldn't. Could you or Simmons deliver them to me no later than noon?"

"Aye, sir."

"And Fitz," Coulson took his drawing from May and held it up for Fitz to see.

"I didn't draw that!"

"Don't be so nervous, you're not in any trouble." Fitz breathed a sigh of relief. "I just wanted another outsider's opinion." He pointed to the sketch. "What does this look like to you?"

…

"Crafty bastard," Skye muttered under her breath as she submitted another incorrect passcode to gain access into Ward's bunk.

A nervous Simmons kept watch for her. "I really think you should let this go."

"Not until I see his reports on me."

"You know for a fact he keeps written reports?"

"Not until I get in there and check." She inputted the wrong passcode again. "Dammit!"

"He's coming!" Simmons warned.

"Crap!" Skye stood upright and turned toward Simmons. "Pretend like we were having a conversation."

"I thought we were having a conversation."

"How about that last mission huh?" Skye made sure she would be heard as Ward approached them. "Talk about crazy."

"What are you doing?" Ward questioned.

"Oh hey Ward, didn't see you there," Skye lied. "Simmons and I were just talking about yesterday's mission."

He raised an eyebrow to her. "Next to my bunk?"

Skye decided to play dumb. "Were we by your bunk? I had no idea. Simmons and I were on our way to the workout area." Skye let out an obviously fake laugh, but soon stopped when Ward's stare became more intent. "Not buying it, huh?"

"So that's one set of fifteen pushups for tardiness, and another fifteen for lying." Skye nervously bit her lip. "You're terrible at playing dumb. Go get ready for our training." Skye turned around and headed for her bunk to change into her workout attire. "And Simmons."

"Yes Ward," Simmons meekly replied back.

Ward reached into his T-shirt pocket, pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper, and passed it to Simmons. "I was told to deliver this to you." he winked at her before leaving. He continued walking down his intended path where he bumped into Fitz. Without saying anything, he removed the Night-Night pistol from Fitz's grasp.

"Hey!"

"I held up my end of the deal."

"Wha—you delivered my note?" Ward winked at him in response. "What did she say?"

"I just delivered it. If you want to know if she read it then I suggest you ask her yourself." Ward handed the pistol back to Fitz. "Now why don't you really fix my gun?"

Fitz sighed. "I suppose I should; seems only fair after what you just did for me."

"I want it ready today Fitz."

Fitz waited until Ward was out of sight before commencing the mocking. "I want it ready today Fitz. I'm Agent Grant Ward…"

Ward, meanwhile, en route to the workout area, took out another folded piece of paper and threw it into the trashcan in the lounge.

Or so he thought.

…

While May was walking down the hall, she noticed a folded up paper by the trashcan in the lounge. "Why can't they ever pick up after themselves?" she stormed over toward the paper. "Might as well have FitzSimmons invent a self-cleaning machine." As she bent down to pick it up, she noticed the paper was printed on S.H.I.E.L.D. stationary. Thinking it was a message of importance, Melinda unfolded the paper and scanned it over. She looked stoic as she reread what was written on it. Immediately after, she refolded the paper and hurried over to Coulson's office.

"Ever heard of knocking?" Coulson quipped after May barged in.

"You need to take a look at this," May threw the note on his desk and watched it land between two folders before Coulson finally picked it up.

"What am I taking a look at?" he questioned as he unfolded the paper.

"Read it."

"Okay," Coulson did as he was told. "Wow." He blew out a breath. "Melinda, I'm flattered, really but you..." he looked up and saw the scowl on her face. "...you obviously didn't write this."

"Obviously. I found it folded up by the trash receptacle in the lounge."

"Any idea who wrote it?"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that typed?"

"Okay, any idea who _typed_ it?"

"No idea."

Coulson rose out of his chair. "As of right now this letter is a 0-8-4. But it won't be for much longer."

"You want me to go over security footage?"

"I think I know an easier way," he started to leave his office.

"Where are you going?"

"The lab."

"The lab? What's in the lab?"

"Fingerprint analyzer."


	3. This Important Looking Piece of Paper

In the lab, Fitz was busy at his workspace doing as he was requested and making adjustments to the Night-Night Pistol. "I don't even know why I bother," he grumbled, "no one besides Jemma really appreciates my inventions anyway." Fitz made one final adjustment. "And done! Now we just cross this off the checklist." He then began going through his papers. "Where's that bloody checklist?" While he didn't find it right away, he did come across another important discovery.

A copy of his typed love letter.

"I thought I took care of you!" With a groan, he went over to a compartment on the computer desk that held extra folders labeled 'CLASSIFIED'." Stuffing the copy of his love letter into the left pocket of the folder, he opened the drawer at his workspace and shoved the folder (and subsequent letter inside it) in the drawer. "Checklist!" Fitz remembered what he was looking for to begin with. "No, no, no," he proclaimed each time he didn't find the checklist. "Blueprints, Ward's file, formula for the fake invisibility formula," he listed every time he didn't find the desired item, "May's file, Nana's cupcake recipe- I wondered where that went-, blueprints, more fake invisibility formula notes, anti-serum notes," he stopped when he remembered something, "Coulson wanted these." Fitz gathered up the rest of the notes, put them in his workspace drawer over the 'CLASSIFIED' folder, and resumed searching for the checklist. "Bingo!" He crossed out the words 'Night-Night Pistol', tossed the checklist aside, and went to give Ward the pistol.

…

"Ward!" Simmons caught up with Ward before he began training Skye.

"Simmons," he casually greeted back, "is it in regards to your message?"

"Why do you need to meet me in the lab? Is this about the Night-Night Pistol?"

"Who said I needed to meet you in the lab?"

"The note you gave me said that-"

"I was told to deliver that message to you. I'm pretty sure he's in the lab right now waiting for you."

"Oh," that last statement eliminated Skye and May as the senders, "I'll go meet _him_ now."

"You do that." Ward continued on his way.

With a confused shrug, Simmons headed for the lab. When she arrived, she was a little surprised to see no one was there. She was even more surprised to find Fitz's usually pristine workspace looking like a disaster area. "Poor Fitz," she made her way over to his workspace, "this project must have him so stressed. Maybe if I just…" she started organizing his files the way she knew he liked them while humming to herself. Simmons knew how this worked: any papers with Fitz's handwriting were usually important so they went at the top of the pile. This meant that she actually had to read the notes to figure out which ones were top priority. Simmons quickly skimmed over the papers front page and back page (she prided herself on being an extraordinarily fast reader) deciding the order of importance when she one particular handwriting caught her eye. "Oh my," she made sure to read that one over because she didn't believe it.

 _Fitz_ was in love. _Her_ Fitz was in love. "Fitz is in love," she said aloud to herself while reading it for a third time.

Jemma couldn't help but feel conflicted about this. Fitz was her lab partner, her best friend, they knew everything they needed to know about one another, they told each other practically everything; why wouldn't Leo tell her he was in love?

Was he in love with her? A little bit of her hoped he was. She knew there was something there between her and Fitz. She had harbored a growing attraction for him for a while now. A part of Jemma wanted her and Leo to be more than friends, but if Fitz did have romantic feelings for her then as the gentleman he should make the first move (Jemma was brought up to be a proper lady after all).

Maybe the letter wasn't intended for her. It was highly doubtful that Jemma Simmons was the only girl he knew- they had their own lives outside of the lab. Still, Leo Fitz was never one to get too personal. There were even times when Simmons questioned Fitz's sexuality after he'd make a remark about attractive features on certain males, and Fitz's letter didn't have gender specificity so there was a chance this was for another male.

Simmons put the letter back on the table. She tried to shy away from it, but it was as if the letter kept staring at her. It was almost as if the letter had unfinished business with her. Perhaps it did. There was a chance that the object of Fitz's affection was on the back of the paper. Then again, she could be getting all worked up over nothing and that there was absolutely nothing on the back. Simmons could have flipped the paper over any time she'd please.

So why couldn't she do it now?

She took a deep breath. "You can do this Jemma," she encouraged herself. Alas, the encouragement was to no avail. She couldn't bring herself to turn the paper over. She and Fitz respected one another's privacy and this seemed like a private matter.

If she saw it by accident, however, that would be a different story. She darted her eyes around as the paper 'accidentally' fell to the ground. "Whoops. I guess I had better pick up this important looking piece of paper." Bending down to pick it up, she noticed the face up part was Fitz's letter. "Oh come on!" She quickly poked her head up to make sure she was still alone before she (finally) flipped the page over.

Simmons felt her heart sink as she stared back at Skye's picture.

The letter was written on the back of Skye's file. When S.H.I.E.L.D. assembles a team, members are given files on their new teammates and this team was no exception. Before their first mission, Simmons had received files on the other agents joining Coulson's team (even though she knew one of them extremely well). Not too long after Skye had inserted herself into their group, Coulson had issued out a file S.H.I.E.L.D. had made on her. This couldn't have been a coincidence that Fitz had written a love letter on the back of Skye's file.

And everything suddenly made sense now.

Simmons wasn't daft; she knew Fitz had a crush on Skye. The signs were there: his pitiful flirting attempts, how he sometimes got awkward around Skye, how he was excited over Skye's bunk being next to his, him being hurt by Skye betraying the team for her boyfriend, the obvious hint of jealousy in Fitz's tone when he told Simmons that, and (weirdly enough) Fitz knowing Skye's complexion. Simmons just blew this off as a harmless crush assuring herself it would never manifest into anything serious. She and Fitz were together in the lab so often that they barely interacted with other people- particularly people close to their age- so Jemma was never surprised when Leo became attracted to any girl they'd meet because she knew it would be a harmless crush and nothing more. Hell, the girls would be long gone before she or Fitz even got the chance to know any of their names. But Skye was now the exception. Fitz's crush on Skye was more serious than she could have ever imagined.

 _It's too late for me now_ , Simmons thought as tears welled in her eyes.

The doors to the lab automatically opened. "Fitz? Simmons? You in here?"

Coulson! He was the whole reason she was in the lab to begin with. Simmons quickly wiped her eyes before she stood up and got Coulson's attention. "Hello, Sir!"

One look at her and Coulson knew something was wrong. "Simmons, are you alright?"

"Fine," Simmons replied.

"You sure?"

She nodded as she placed Skye's file amidst of a stack of papers on Fitz's workspace. "Must be a reaction to an experiment." She cleared her throat. "What do you need, Sir?"

 _It's like she was already expecting me_ , Coulson inferred. "I need the fingerprint analyzer."

"Right away, Sir."

Coulson noticed that she seemed to be calling him 'Sir' more often. Was she up to something? It seemed probable given the lack of actual experiments. "Reaction to an experiment, huh?" He looked around.

"Yes, Sir."

"I uh…I don't see any chemicals or anything? Whatcha workin' on?"

"Invisibility formula," this was a ready-made lie that she and Fitz prepared for events like this.

 _Yeah, right._ "Ah, well, I see, or rather don't see that working out for you," Simmons laughed at his ridiculously corny joke. When Coulson noticed Fitz's workspace, he sudden thought occurred to him. "Oh, Dr. Streiten asked about the notes on your and Fitz's vaccine."

"Anti-serum."

"He wants to save your notes in S.H.I.E.L.D's medical database and I promise I'd send them to him. Might as well get them while I'm here."

"I don't recall taking notes on the anti-serum, Sir."

"Oh that's right you were…indisposed," that was a nice way of saying she and Ward were detained in Morocco after she jumped out off the plane. "Once we were sure you had been rescued I asked Fitz to take notes for me."

"Fitz must have them at his workspace then," Simmons took the fingerprint analyzer down from a shelf and carried it over to Fitz's workspace. "I'll get them for you now, Sir." Simmons started going through the papers as fast as she could.

"You don't have to call me 'Sir' all the time, Jemma."

It seemed as though she didn't hear him. "I started organizing his papers and I didn't recognize any handwritten notes on the anti-serum."

"That's because I ordered him to type them out. I'd never send those notes in with Fitz's handwriting; yours, maybe, but not his. No one on this plane can read Fitz's chicken scratch."

"I can."

"Well that's because you're Simmons."

Simmons couldn't help but smile at that as she started going through the unsorted papers. "Ooh," she came across the checklist, "Fitz finished the Night-Night Pistol."

"I'm sure Agent Ward will be pleased with that."

"I don't see any typed papers on the table. Maybe Fitz…" Simmons didn't complete her sentence and just opened the drawer in Fitz's workspace. "Bingo!" Naturally, she found what she was looking for. "Fitz must have stored them away so he didn't lose them amidst this mess." She put the notes into the right pocket of the folder underneath the notes and handed the folder to Coulson. "He even had the folder prepared for you like he usually does."

"Great," Coulson took the folder from her. "Speaking of Fitz, where is he?"

"He's probably giving Ward the Night-Night Pistol."

"Ward still calling it that?"

"I highly doubt that, Sir."

…

"Fitz," Skye, dressed in her workout attire, caught up with the engineer, "can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Fitz allowed.

"Is it true that S.O.s have to give reports?"

"Yeah, everyone knows that."

"Yeah, well not everyone learned it right away. Listen: Ward's reports; do you know if they're written, or oral, or…what?"

"No, I don't know. Even if I did, I wouldn't tell you."

"Why not?"

"You only want to find them and see what he says about you."

"That's…okay, that's true."

"The only person you can ask about this beside Ward is Ward's superior."

"Coulson."

"If you do ask Coulson, may I suggest coming up with an excuse beforehand?"

Skye rolled her eyes at him. "Hey," she pointed at her observation, "you finished the Night-Night Pistol."

"Yeah, I was gonna give it to Ward so he'd stop hassling me about it not being finished."

"Hey, when you do see Ward, could you tell him I'll be a few minutes late?"

"Why?"

"I have an impromptu meeting with Coulson."

…

May stood in the conference room going over security footage, getting the answers her way and not Coulson's.

Looking over footage from the lounge, the only person she had seen so far was Simmons. Eventually, May watched Simmons going over notes, Skye joining Simmons, Ward making a brief cameo, Skye leaving, Simmons chasing after her, an empty lounge, and then Ward making another quick appearance.

May's eyes narrowed as she watched Ward walk by the lounge and throw a folded piece of paper at the trashcan…and miss.

…

"Coulson?" Skye knocked on his door for what seemed like the hundredth time. "AC? You in there?" She tried opening Coulson's door thinking it was locked.

So Skye was fairly surprised to discover it actually wasn't locked. "Coulson?" No sign of him anywhere. "Something must've come up." She blew out a breath. "Might as well wait for him; it's not like I have anything better to do." Skye sat in one of the chairs at the desk. She whistled to herself as she looked around his office trying not to get bored. One particular thing that caught her eye was a single sheet of paper with S.H.I.E.L.D. stationary resting between two folders on Coulson's desk. Interestingly enough, the paper looked as if it has been folded.

Naturally, curiosity got the best of Skye and she just had to peek. "Ugh," she read over the letter, "someone has a crush on Coulson?" Another idea popped her into her head as she reread the letter. "Or maybe Coulson is the one with the crush," she whispered to herself before letting out an undistinguished noise of excitement. Skye practically leapt out of the chair and headed for the exit. "I gotta tell someone about this!" She opened the door to find another surprise waiting on the other end.

"Tell someone about what?" Coulson inquired.


	4. Like a Secret Admirer Thing

It was safe to say that Skye did not plan for this outcome (though in all honesty, she really should have seen it coming). "Hey AC!"

"Can I help you with something Skye?" he questioned back.

"Nope! Nope, I'm good."

"Then what were you doing in my office?"

"Oh, right!" Skye smacked herself on her forehead as she remembered why she was in his office in the first place. "I had a question for you."

"I thought you didn't need anything?"

"I remembered I had to go train with Ward. Don't wanna be late or that's another set of fifteen pushups."

"What's your question Skye?"

"Okay, so Ward is my S.O."

"That's been established, yes."

"I just learned that S.O.s have to give reports on their…whatever S.O.s call the people they give reports on. I was just wondering if you could share some info about Ward's reports on me."

"I'm not authorized to disclose that information with you."

"Damn."

"I suggest that if you have concerns you take them up with your S.O. himself."

"I was afraid you'd say that. Guess I better head off to my training." Skye brushed past Coulson and headed toward the workout area.

"Skye," she turned around, "what about that last part? What did you want to tell someone?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why?" Coulson gestured to himself. "I'm someone."

"Someone besides you," Skye said nothing more and headed for her training.

A smug smile formed across Coulson's face. Turns out he didn't need the fingerprint analyzer after all. Technology wasn't required; it just took some old fashioned detective work. And stepping into his office and looking at his desk pretty much confirmed his suspicions.

Skye was the one who typed the letter.

…

Ward tested the pistol while Fitz stood and waited for his verdict. With a bland expression on his face, he gave the gun back to Fitz. "It'll do." This was Ward's way of expressing his approval.

"I'm glad to see you so pleased," Fitz quipped.

"Yeah, well I'm pleased that someone actually does what I tell them."

"If this is about Skye I told you that she had a meeting with Coulson."

"She's not only wasting her time, but mine. It's not as if I want to be here but as a Supervising Officer I'm supposed to be training someone right now." Ward stared at Fitz.

"Wha-why are you staring at me like that?"

"You're too scrawny."

"Scrawny?"

"If you're going to be in the field then you need to bulk up."

"I think I'd prefer to stay in the lab, thank you very much."

"Can I ask you something?"

"You know, you're the second person to ask me in the last ten minutes." Ward raised his eyebrow to him. "Right, sorry, ask away."

"Have you ever been in a fight?"

"Define 'fight'."

"A physical altercation."

"Ah. Well since you asked, yes I have been."

"Were you and your opponent equally matched?"

Fitz started to rub the back of his neck all the while avoiding eye contact with Ward. "It's kinda hard to remember."

"When was this fight?"

"In third grade; I was eight and the school bully took my milk money."

"And it's safe to bet that you let him beat you up?"

Fitz was looking at the ground. "Her, actually."

Ward started snickering. "You let an eight year girl kick your ass?"

Fitz looked up at him and let out a righteous gasp. "I cannae strike a lady," his Scottish accent was unmistakably there when he said 'cannot'. "I, Sir, am a gentleman. And the girl was seven and a half, by the way."

"Have you ever since been in a fight where you've actually fought back?"

"Define 'fought back'."

"Physically, without words."

"Ah, then no; and even when I fought back with words I still got my arse kicked. I tell ya those people were all brawn and no brain; can't reason with those types."

"Have you ever fought in self-defense?"

"Aye! Every single time I was in a fight I was defending myself!"

"I meant fight for your life."

"At times I thought I was…though looking back on 'em now I suppose I may have been over-exaggerating."

"Have you fought to defend someone's honor?"

"Besides my own? No, can't say that I have."

"Ever fought to protect someone?" As Fitz opened his mouth, Ward interrupted with, "Besides yourself?"

"No."

"Okay I'm going to give you a scenario."

"I thought you only wanted to ask me a question."

"We're on a mission and something goes wrong."

"Does something ever go right on our missions?"

"The commentaries are unnecessary."

"Sorry, continue."

"So something goes wrong on a mission: your lab and everything in it is destroyed and Simmons has been kidnapped."

This instantly became serious for Fitz. "What? Why Jemma?"

"Simmons has been kidnapped and you're the only one who can save her by fighting off the bad guys without technology."

"Where are you?"

"That's not important."

"Yes it is! Why can't you save her?"

"I can't always be around to protect one person Fitz. There are five other people on the team; I can't devote all my attention to Simmons."

"Agent May then? Where is she? Why can't Agent May save Jemma"

"No one can get to Simmons but you! _You_ have to fight off these kidnappers."

"Why does it have to be plural? Can't it be one kidnapper?"

"Even if it is one kidnapper there's a good chance he or she will have bodyguards."

"She?"

"A kidnapper can be a man or woman."

"Ward, I told you I won't hit another woman."

"What if Jemma's life depended on you doing so?" Ward emphasized the importance by calling Simmons by her first name. "Could you put aside your upbringing and fight a woman to save Jemma?"

Fitz bit his lip and looked away from Ward. "I knew we weren't ready for the field."

"Fitz-"

"I couldn't even jump out of a bloody plane to save her."

Ward softened a little. "You have to be prepared for these types of events. It's my job to protect you guys, yes; but I have to know that you guys can protect each other if I can't be there. Can I count on you Fitz? Can Simmons count on you?"

With a sigh, Fitz turned to Ward. "What do you want me to do?"

A small smile flashed across Ward's face. "For starters: lose that shirt and tie. Put on some workout clothes and meet me back here in half an hour."

"Half an hour?"

"I want some down time for myself before I set up the equipment."

"Fine," Fitz started walking away, but he soon turned around to tell Ward, "I'm not doing this for you, you know."

"I know." He watched Fitz leave before turning his attention to the punching bag. He managed to get in a few hits before his solitude was interrupted.

"Ward!" Skye hurried over to him. "Ward, you won't believe-"

"Training's cancelled today."

Skye was taken aback by this. "What, seriously? Why?"

"I've made other arrangements."

"What other arrangements could you have made in the last ten minutes?"

"I don't see how it's any of your concern." Skye stood there staring at him in disbelief as he kept jabbing at the punching bag. "You can go anytime now."

"I had something I wanted to tell you."

Ward stopped and faced Skye. "Then tell me."

"We'll swap information. I tell you mine if you tell me yours. Wow, I did not mean for that to sound sexual."

Ward sighed. "I've set aside some workout time for Fitz."

"Fitz?"

"Like you, Fitz has to be physically ready to handle himself in any situation."

"So you're gonna be like the Obi-Wan Kenobi to his Luke Skywalker?"

"You can compare it to whatever you'd like, but I sincerely doubt that."

"Why?"

"Fitz's training is optional, not mandatory. I'm not his supervising officer; I can't force him to attend regular sessions."

"And Fitz actually agreed to do this?" Ward nodded. "How did you the science geek out of the lab and into the gym?"

"I believe I've already shared my information. Now what do you want to tell me?"

"Actually," she removed something from her pocket, "I thought I'd show you." Skye handed Ward the folded paper she found in Coulson's office.

"Where the hell did you get this?" Ward's reaction came somewhat as a surprise to Skye (she was sure Ward would think she was giving the letter to him)

"Coulson's office."

"How did this get in Coulson's office?"

"Maybe he found it or somebody brought it to him. Why? Do you know something about this letter?"

"Are you sure you found this in Coulson's office?"

"Yeah, it was on his desk."

"So you went through his stuff?"

"I was waiting for him and I noticed it sitting there. I thought I'd just sneak a peek and put it back."

"So why did you take it?"

"If I told you I found a love letter in Coulson's office would you have believed me?"

"This was in Coulson's office?"

"For the thousandth time yes! Why are you so interested in this?" There was a pause. "You do know something about this letter!"

"What I'd like to know how it ended up in Coulson's office. This note belongs in the trash."

"And you would know that how exactly? Maybe it's supposed to be like a secret admirer thing."

"Someone secretly admires Coulson?"

"Could be?"

"I can guarantee this letter is not for Phil Coulson."

"How can you guarantee that?"

"Just trust me on this."

"Then who's it really for? Come on tell me! Please!" Skye attempted a puppy dog pout.

Ward sighed. "If I tell you, I want you to promise me you'll keep this letter away from Coulson and his office."

"Why?"

"Will you just do that for me?"

"Fine. Now who's the letter for?"

"Simmons," surprisingly enough he didn't hesitate to answer.

Skye's face twisted in confused disgust. "Coulson is in love with Simmons? Is that even legal?"

"How can you be sure Coulson wrote this?"

"Because I found it in his office."

"In plain sight?"

"Yeah."

"Then how do I know who this letter is intended for?"

"Because he told you?" that response came out like a question.

"Is Coulson the kind of guy who would reveal a secret like that to anyone on this team? Especially me?"

"Well-"

"And does he really seem like the type of guy who would leave something like this in the open knowing someone like you could invade his privacy?"

"I guess not." Ward passed the letter back to her. "Well if Coulson didn't write the letter, then who did?"

"That I can't say."

"Can't or won't?"

Ward smirked. "I've already shared my information."

"But-"

"Ward," Agent May was standing by the workout area entrance with her arms folded across her chest and looking as serious as ever, "we need to talk."

"Be right there," before leaving, he turned to Skye. "I'll see you here tomorrow for training," he walked away leaving a puzzled Skye standing in the center of the workout area trying to piece the clues together.

The letter was found in Coulson's office in plain sight, yet Ward of all people knew about this letter, he knew it was for Simmons, and he had a hard time believing it was found in Coulson's _unlocked_ office when Ward said that the letter should be in the garbage. Ward could guarantee the letter wasn't from Coulson, and made Skye promise to keep the letter away from Coulson (and Coulson's office). Ward also didn't hesitate to say the letter was for Simmons and that it wasn't from Coulson. Wouldn't he tell Skye who originally sent the letter if he knew that last part.

Skye emitted a small gasp as it dawned on her. Ward wrote the letter. Ward wrote the letter for Simmons. That made total sense now! And after yesterday's events it was understandable. Ward jumped out of the plane to save her, the two of them were detained in Morocco for a while so they had to spend time together alone, Ward took the Night-Night Pistol from Simmons knowing it really wasn't ready, and he also seemed pretty cool about her mocking him.

But how did the letter for Simmons end up in Coulson's office? Ward was pretty dead set on keeping away it from Coulson and kept asking Skye how the note ended up in Coulson's office to begin with after he flat out told her the note belonged in the trash.

 _Duh, Ward was the one who threw the note away in the first place_ Skye determined.

She could picture it: Ward debating whether or not he had feelings for Simmons, him typing the letter- purposely leaving out names and pronouns-, him going over the letter and realizing it was stupid, throwing the letter away, and finally reverting to his robot mode pretending he had no feelings whatsoever and going about his life.

He was way too predictable (" _Which explains me kicking his butt in Battleship"_ , Skye recalled).

A sly smile formed across her face. Skye might have promised Ward she would keep the letter away from Coulson (and Coulson's office), but she never said she would keep the letter from Simmons. Simmons had a right to know about this; Ward admitted the letter was for her. Plus this was the perfect opportunity for Skye to fulfill a secret fantasy she had ever since she was a little girl.

Skye was going to play matchmaker.

…

May led Ward to the interrogation room. "Have a seat," she gestured for him to sit in the suspect's chair.

Ward eyed her suspiciously. "What's this all about?"

"Improper recycling habits for one."

"Care to elaborate?"

"We have a 0-8-4 on our hands."

"Why wasn't I informed on this?"

"I'm sure you're already aware." May took an electronic device out of her suit, turned it on, and passed it to Ward. "Press play."

Ward did as told and watched footage of him throwing the love letter at the lounge trashcan…and missing. "Shit," he cursed under his breath as he watched the footage of May finding the note and carrying it off.

That probably explained how the note ended up in Coulson's office.

"Care to elaborate?" May questioned. "Or do I need to get the truth serum?"

"I didn't write the stupid letter, I only threw the letter away."

"Who wrote it?"

"I don't know."

"Yes you do."

"You can't break me that easily, Melinda. I will not disclose that information."

"Why not, _Grant_?"

"Out of respect for their privacy, I won't say who's in love." He stood up. "I'm sure you and Coulson will soon get to the bottom of this and then this love letter nonsense can end. Now if you'll excuse me," Ward stood up, "I have a training session to get to."


	5. And Yet, You're Still Here

May entered Coulson's office. "What do you want Coulson?"

A small smile was evident on Coulson's face. "I was just wondering how your investigation into this 0-8-4 is going."

"Bull shit. You obviously think you have this figured out and you want to rub it in."

"Think?"

May pointed to his desk. "How were you able to find out whose fingerprints were there without the evidence?"

"The lack of evidence is merely a minor setback."

"Minor setback?"

"The absence of this letter only helps further the proof that my theory is correct." May rolled her eyes at him. "How's your method working out?"

"Effectively."

"Really?"

May handed him her electronic device and watched as Coulson viewed what May had previously shown Ward. "I knew going over the security footage would be best for this situation."

"I'll admit: your method is equally effective."

"Equally effective?"

"It doesn't actually prove that Ward wrote the letter."

"I know that he didn't."

"You talked to him?"

"He's keeping mum, but he obviously knows who _typed_ the letter," she put emphasis on 'typed'.

"So do I."

"How can you be sure without proof?"

Coulson decided to switch subjects. "I had two reasons for calling you in here, you know."

"What's the other reason?"

"Could you send Skye to my office please?"

"Why can't you call her over intercom?"

"It makes it more personal when you don't ask them over the intercom. I'm also gonna use my time alone to send in some paperwork to Agent Hill."

"You want to have a personal meeting with Skye?"

"Personal- _ish_."

"I take my presence is not requested at this personal- _ish_ meeting?"

"Look at this way: you get some more time for you to back up your investigation theory or fly the plane; whatever tickles your fancy."

"I've always hated when you use that phrase."

He smirked at her. "I know."

…

"Simmons is going to freak," Skye whispered to herself as she approached Simmons' bunk. Her excitement quickly faltered as she heard the unmistakable sounds of crying coming from inside. Skye tapped on the door. "Simmons?" Simmons didn't respond. "Jemma, are you okay?" Again, no response. "Can I come in please?"

"I'd like to be left alone now, please," Simmons declined.

"Look, if you're upset maybe I can help," Skye slid the letter under Simmons' door. "Maybe this can cheer you up."

"What is it?"

"We can talk about it later after you feel better. Until then, I'll be in the lounge whenever you're ready to talk…just not in the next thirty minutes, I'm gonna get in the shower."

Skye headed for her bunk where a surprise guest was sitting on her bed waiting for her. "Hello Skye."

"Jesus May," Skye nearly jumped out of her own skin, "you gotta give people a warning when you appear out of nowhere like that! How did you even get in here?" May kept quiet. "God, you're like a ninja, only scarier." May made a disapproving noise as she raised an eyebrow to her. "Seriously, do you ever smile?"

"Coulson wants to see you in his office."

"Why? What did I do?"

"He wouldn't tell me anything."

"Should I be worried?"

"There's only one way to find out."

"You have zero idea why Coulson wants to talk to me?" an expressionless May stared back at her. "I have no idea how to interpret that."

"Coulson, office, now; which of those words do you not understand?"

"I was talking about your non-expression. I get that Coulson wants me in his office now."

"And yet, you're still here."

Skye put her hands up in defeat as she backed out of her room. "Leaving!"

…

With a sigh, Simmons gave in and picked up the letter that Skye had slid under her door. Expecting it to be something lighthearted, or gossipy, or something in the relevance of a girl's day activity, Simmons was stunned to find herself rereading Fitz's handwritten letter, only this time it was typed.

So why did _Skye_ slip Fitz's letter under her door hoping it would "cheer her up"?

This situation needed some serious analyzing. Simmons started going over the events that led up to this. First, she discovered Fitz had written a love letter clearly intended for Skye and now the same handwritten letter shows up in her bunk typed, delivered by the person the letter was intended for. That was really all there was to it. Something must have happened between the discovery in the lab and the letter being delivered to her bunk by Skye.

For starters, Fitz's handwritten letter had to have been typed. Yes, obviously the handwritten letter came first- Fitz always wrote things out by hand before typing them out. But where and when he typed it was unclear. For all Simmons knew the letter might have already been typed before she found the original handwritten copy.

Simmons tried to replay the day's events in her mind: she was in the lab _alone_ (when Fitz was the one who had the lab on reserve), she found the letter among Fitz's workspace (which was unusually messy), Coulson came in asking for the fingerprint analyzer and the anti-serum notes, she got those for him, Coulson left, she then went to her bunk and properly got upset over the letter, Skye knocks on her door, slides the typed letter under her door, and asks Simmons to talk with her and about it whenever she's ready.

Okay, so in order for Skye to slip Fitz's now typed letter under Simmons' door, Skye would have had to have gotten the letter from Fitz.

Of course! Fitz had to have typed his letter so that Skye could read it- Coulson did say Simmons was the only one who could read Fitz's 'chicken scratch'. Then Fitz left (or lost) his handwritten copy of the letter among his workspace clutter, delivered the now typed letter to Skye, and then Skye gave the letter to Simmons.

That last part still didn't add up.

Did Skye not know who delivered the letter to her? No, that wouldn't make sense. If Skye didn't know who the letter was from then she would want to know who it was from (and wouldn't rest until she did know). Why would she give the letter to Simmons without question? Skye had to have known Fitz gave her the letter. Whether he gave it to her directly or she saw him leave it for her, she had to have known Fitz gave her the letter.

So why did Simmons have it now? And again, why did Skye say it would "cheer her up"?

Skye was good at reading people, so she probably knew Simmons had a crush on Fitz (she spent enough time with both of them to observe things like that). Was this some kind of cruel joke Skye was playing? No, Skye sounded genuinely worried when she heard Simmons crying. Was a good-natured Skye trying to help bring Fitz and Simmons together by giving this letter to Simmons and then telling her it was from Fitz? Perhaps that's what Skye thought would cheer Simmons up. If that was the case then Skye didn't have any feelings for Fitz and was trying to get her point across without having to tell him directly.

 _Poor Fitz_ , Simmons put her hand to her heart. _This would break his heart._

Yes, admittedly Simmons was glad Fitz and Skye wouldn't pair up; but if being with Skye would make Fitz happy then Simmons would have eventually come to terms with that- she wanted them to be happy after all. And as much as she wanted to be with Fitz, she didn't want to be the girl he settled for. Yes, they could be content but he wouldn't love her, and Jemma could not endure a loveless relationship.

Another idea suddenly crossed Simmons' mind: what if Skye didn't have feelings for Fitz, but had feelings for her. She didn't know Skye's sexual preference so her having a crush on Simmons was a possibility. Skye could have had a tiny 'girl crush' on Simmons (Simmons herself had a girl crush on Emma Watson so she wouldn't be one to judge) but didn't realize her real feelings until Simmons almost died.

That would explain the sudden hug, Skye's upset behavior when yesterday's events were mentioned, Skye's wanting to spend the day with Simmons, the genuine concern for Simmons (though Skye cared for everyone so that argument could be invalid), and why she wanted to talk with her after Simmons read the letter. Yes, it all added up.

Suddenly Simmons couldn't catch her breath. "Skye is in love with _me_?"

…

Coulson stood in front of his desk anticipating the following knock on his door. "Come in!"

Skye cautiously opened the door. "You wanted to see me AC?"

"Have a seat," he gestured for her to sit down. Reluctantly, Skye did so. "I bet you're wondering why I called you in here."

"Well, yeah."

"I can't help but wonder if there was something you weren't telling me earlier."

"When you caught me sneaking out of your office?"

"Was that report question you asked me a cover?"

"No."

"Then why didn't you ask it right away?"

"Because you weren't in your office and I thought I'd get to training. If Ward does write negative reports on me I can attempt to change that by getting on his good side- if he even has one."

"I also recall you said you had to tell someone about something." Skye nodded. "Someone who isn't myself?" Skye quizzically raised an eyebrow to him. "Does this secret concern me or my well-being?"

"No, I just wanted to tell someone closer to my age first."

"Did you?"

"Did I...tell somebody?" Coulson nodded. "Well yeah, I told Ward…but that's because I was already on my way to see him."

"Is that all?"

"What do you mean 'is that all'? Aren't you gonna keep hassling me until I tell you my secret?"

"You can tell me whenever you're ready," Coulson sat down at his desk.

This time Skye's eyebrow raise was skeptical. "You think you already know, don't you?"

He looked up at her with an unreadable expression on his face. "You're dismissed."


	6. I Have a Pretty Good Idea Why

"Alright," Fitz met up with Ward in the workout area, "let's get this over with."

Ward gave him a quick look-over. "Why aren't you wearing proper workout attire?"

"What? You said you wanted me to lose the shirt and tie."

"Yes, but put on a t-shirt or tank top."

"Should it really matter whether or not I have a shirt on? Don't most guys work out shirtless?"

With an annoyed groan, Ward pointed at Fitz's legs, "And the pants."

"Whoa! Whoa, I'm keepin' the pants on."

"For training sessions it's more appropriate to wear sweat pants or shorts; not the same pants you've had on for over a day. Pajama pants would also be acceptable."

"I have a thing about re-wearing clothes I've already worn."

"I've never seen you wear shorts."

"I wear them to bed."

Ward sighed. "Whatever, as long as you have something on to cover your sweat. I'm not one to judge you on what you wear- that's what girls are for."

"Isn't that remark a little sexist?"

"Just go put on a t-shirt."

…

Simmons sat on her bed biting her nails in frenzy. What was she going to go? She was in love with Fitz, Fitz was in love with Skye, but Skye was in love with her; it was like one of those insufferable plot devices from soap operas and romantic comedies manifesting in real life.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Simmons let out a small scream as she looked up to see May standing in her doorway. "Agent May?" How did May open her door without being detected? "How did you-"

"Something they teach you on Level 7."

"Oh," Simmons decided not to question that any further. "Is there something I can do you for May?"

"You can be active in some way; I was somewhat worried that I hadn't heard any activity from you today."

Simmons smiled. "Thank you for caring May, but I'm alright."

"That's what you say when you're not alright." May made her way into Simmons' bunk and sat on her bed. "We could talk about it if you'd like."

Simmons' eyes widened in surprise. "Really?"

"I do have a caring side, Jemma; I just don't show it as often. Now we both know you'll feel better when you get whatever is bothering you off of your chest."

"I suppose," Jemma sighed. "What if…let's say there are three people- two of whom are very close."

"You're not using names?"

"It's really embarrassing." May furrowed her brow. "Though I'm certain you know that the close people are me and Fitz."

"I figured this has something to do with him."

"How so?"

"Because you're talking to me."

"Oh, right."

"There are three people," May prompted Simmons to continue her story.

"Ah, yes; there are three people- two are close, but the other is a good, mutual friend- and it doesn't take very much time for things to get…complicated."

"Romantic wise I assume."

"See, one of the close friends is in love with the good, mutual friend but…"

"But?" May gestured for Simmons to continue.

"…the friend doesn't love them back."

"How do you know?"

"Because of this," Simmons removed the proof from under her pillow and handed it to May. May took one look at the paper, stood up, exited the bunk, and left a confused Simmons sitting on the bed.

…

Coulson was at his desk looking down at whatever he was writing when May came into the office. "Hello Melinda," he greeted without looking up- she was the only one who never knocked after all. When she slammed something down on his desk, he finally looked up away from his writings. "Where did you find it?"

Without smiling, she quirked an eyebrow to him and responded with, "You tell me."

"Theory comparisons?" she nodded. "Mine first?" another nod. "Long answer or short?" She said nothing as he looked at her. "Your preferences never change, do they?" Next came her infamous eye roll. "Skye wrote the letter for Ward." May stared back at him with a blank expression. "It all makes sense when you-"

"You got that half right."

"Heh?"

"The letter is intended for Ward, but Skye didn't write it; Simmons did."

This time Coulson raised his eyebrow in a skeptic manner. "Simmons? Why do you think it's Simmons?"

"Why do you think it's Skye?"

"I asked you first."

"You and I both know you're going to tell me first." Coulson made a noise of agreement as he nodded. "Now would you care to tell me why you think it's Skye?"

"When I came back with the fingerprint analyzer, Skye was sneaking out of my office. When I entered my office after her, the letter was gone."

"How do you know she was the one who took it?"

"Before we bumped into each other, I distinctly heard her say she had to tell someone who wasn't me about 'this'. I wasn't sure what 'this' was at the time, but when I called her in for the personal-ish meeting I asked her if she told anybody what she couldn't tell me. She informed me that she had told Ward- the same person who just so happened to throw the letter near the trash where you found it."

"A well-thought out hypothesis."

"But?"

"But my security footage showed Ward disposing of the note before the letter could even be taken from your office."

"Yes, and that's what threw me off. Your turn," Coulson remarked. "Where exactly did you find the letter?"

"Simmons' bunk."

"Simmons' bunk?"

"She willingly handed me the letter after removing it from underneath her pillow. We had also had a little chat."

"Did you?"

"She was obviously upset, I thought I could help. Simmons gave me a scenario with three friends- two of whom are close…"

"Her and Fitz."

"…and the other was a 'good, mutual friend'- her words, not mine." Coulson let out a noise of understanding as he nodded for May to continue. "One of the close friends is in love with the good, mutual friend, but the mutual friend doesn't return the feelings. I asked Simmons how she knew, and she removed the letter from under her pillow and handed it to me."

Coulson immediately reached for a clean piece of paper and began frantically writing out what May had told him. "Do you have any idea how Simmons got the letter?"

"I rushed back here that I forgot to ask. But if Skye took the letter from your office then she must have shown it to Simmons…"

"…and Simmons recognized it as the letter she typed for Ward…"

"…who threw it near the trashcan in the lounge,"

"…who threw it near the common area trashcan," Coulson did complete his statement the same time as May, but with different wording.

"That validates both our theories," May stated.

"Not quite."

"Don't want to be sure until you run the fingerprint analyzer?"

"That's one reason."

"What's the other?"

"Skye said that she went to Ward because she was already on her way to see him."

"Was that a lie?"

"We can only trust one man with that answer."

"Should I go get him?"

"Where is he now?"

…

"Ninety-nine," Ward counted, "one hundred." With the final push-up, Fitz let his arms give way and fell to the floor. "That's one section done."

"One?" Fitz squawked back in exhausted disbelief.

"You wanted to follow my regiment."

"Not the _exact_ regiment! A shorter, less exhausting," Fitz looked down at his drenched t-shirt, "less sweaty regiment. God, I don't think I've ever sweated this much before."

"Okay one, this isn't my exact regiment; it's a beginner's session."

"Beginner's session?"

"Two, you told me to tell you what to do."

"Yeah, but, sheesh, Ward, go easy on the little guy…the little guy being me, obviously."

"What did you expect to be doing?"

"I thought I'd get a few gos on the punchin' bag."

"That comes last."

"What else do I have to do?"

"Sit-ups, pull-ups, crunches, weights, elliptical, treadmill, and then the punching bag." Fitz moaned in agony. "Tell you what: since this is a beginner's session, we'll only do half."

"I'm starting to regret this."

"Look Fitz, I'm not going to force you to do this- I don't have the authority to. I just want to help prepare you. You even said so yourself, you're not doing this for me."

"Yeah, I know." Fitz sighed as he laid down on the floor. "Come on; help me relieve more traumatic physical education memories."

A small smile escaped Ward's lips as he placed himself at Fitz's feet. "Ready?"

"No."

"Suck it up, rookie. Up!" with a grunt, Fitz successfully did one sit-up, and fell back to the floor. "One."

"Are we done yet?"

A buzz indicated someone on the intercom. " _Ward, interrogation room, now,"_ the message was short, vague, and delivered by Agent May.

Fitz's expression was concern puzzlement as he sat up. "Interrogation room? What did you do?"

"I'm not sure about the what; but I have a pretty good idea why. Oh, and two."

"You're going to count that last one?"

"We'll take it where we left off when I get back," Ward walked away.

Fitz made sure Ward was out of sight before going over to the punching bag. For some odd reason, punching was fun. "Grr," he began imitating Burgess Meredith, "you're a wreckin' machine."

"Yo Adrian," Skye's Stallone impression got Fitz to stop and take notice of her standing there, "aren't you forgetting something?" She pointed to Ward's boxing gloves hanging nearby. "Always put these on before sparring; you can't be a boxer without the gloves."

"Ah; that would probably explain why my hands are already swollen."

Skye couldn't help but laugh. "It's so weird seeing you like this; out of the lab and into the gym."

"Yeah, well don't get used to it." Fitz went back to punching.

"Hey, you want a sparring partner?"

"What is that exactly?"

"Can I punch the bag with you?"

"Oh! Oh, sure; you're dressed for the occasion."

"I haven't really had the time or focus for a shower."

"Join the club," he resumed punching the bag as if he was a boxer.

"Whoa, you pack a good punch."

Fitz merely shrugged. "Simmons said that once."

"You punched Simmons?"

"Not intentionally!"

"Uh…I'm gonna need a little more info that that."

"Well we were on a road trip through Scotland and our cheap rental car broke down in the middle of nowhere. There was no phone service, gas station, motel, pub, nothing. It was already late, we were both tired, so we just decided to sleep in the back of the car where there was more room. We wake up later and Simmons is covered in bruises. I asked her what happened and she says, 'Oh my Lord Fitz, you're quiet violent when you sleep'," he pitched his voice up to talk like Simmons as he did the day before.

Skye couldn't out a small laugh as she put on her gloves. "Speaking of sleep, Simmons says you haven't had any. You've been up all night working in the lab?" she began punching the opposite side of the bag.

"Yeah, I was working on a bunch of stuff."

"Like the Night-Night Pistol?"

"Among other things?"

"Did you take notes on that vaccine thing?"

"Anti-serum. Oh bugger, I was supposed get the notes to Coulson before noon! "

"Noon American time?" He looked at her confused. "Coulson said noon, but did he say which noon? American Eastern or Pacific, Western European, Eastern European, which one? We're flying over different time zones Fitz; I'm sure you can get away with that as your 'lost track of time' excuse."

"Oh, that's good; deviously wicked, but good"

"Eh, I try."

…

"Nice to see you again, May," Ward greeted as he entered the interrogation room.

"Have a seat," she gestured for him to sit in the suspect's chair.

"I take it this is about that stupid letter again." He sat in the chair. "What did you figure out?"

"I'll be asking the questions here, not you." Ward just shrugged back and motioned for her to continue. "As we speak, Coulson is in his office running the fingerprint analyzer over the letter."

"How did he get the letter?"

"That's irrelevant…and also a question."

Ward paused. "I don't see what good the fingerprint analyzer's going to do."

"It's just going to confirm what we already know."

"How can you be sure that you know?" She furrowed her brow at him. "Oh right, you're supposed to be asking the questions."

"The only reason this is even happening is because you didn't pick up after yourself."

"I didn't realize I had missed the trashcan; I usually don't."

"Why did you throw the letter away in the first place?"

"Because it was stupid. If you're going to tell someone you love them, you don't do it like that."

"Some people do because they either lack proper social cues or because they feel it's the best way to do it. I know you prefer doing things your way, but you also have to respect the way other people do things."

"I know I shouldn't have interfered like that, but believe me when I say it was for the best."

Coulson entered the interrogation room carrying the fingerprint analyzer. "The analyzer's results are in."

"Have you read over them?" May inquired.

"Not yet. I figured we should read over the results with our friend Agent Ward."

Ward leaned back in his seat. "Be my guest."

"You seem so sure of yourself."

"That letter's gotten around today. I wouldn't be surprised if everyone's gotten their hands on it."

Coulson peered at the results. "Son of a bitch."

"What?" May took a glance at the results, and then instantly looked back at Ward. "What are you not telling us?"

Ward looked at her confused. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"How did Fitz get his hands on this letter?" Coulson questioned.

"What do you mean how did his hands get on the letter? He was the one who typed it."

"And you know this how?"

"He's the one who called me into the lab after it was typed."

" _Fitz_ gave you the letter?"

Suddenly the door to the interrogation room burst open and Fitz was standing there. "Speak of the devil," Ward stood up as Fitz stormed into the interrogation room. "Fitz, could you-"

"Bloody bastard!" WHAM! Fitz's fist flew into Ward's face causing Ward to stumble backwards.

"FITZ!" Coulson yelled out in surprise. The next thing anyone knew, Ward had regained equilibrium and sent Fitz to the ground with a (harder) punch to the face. "WARD!"

Surprisingly, Fitz didn't go down so easily. He quickly got back up and lunged for Ward. It was now evident that a fight had broken out in the interrogation room between the engineer and the specialist.

Skye, who was chasing after Fitz, finally caught up with him a little too late. "Holy shit!"

Simmons, who heard shouting, also made her way to the interrogation room. When she saw the ensuing physical altercation, all she could do was gasp and cover her mouth.

By this point, Ward had managed to pin Fitz to the ground. Ward soon learned that while Fitz wasn't a strong fighter, he was a strong biter. "OW!"

"Go Fitz!" Skye cheered. Ward tackled Fitz to the ground again. "Never mind!"

The fight didn't last much longer, however. May pulled Ward off of Fitz as Coulson helped bring Fitz to his feet. "ENOUGH!" Coulson's yell got everything calm and quiet again. "Everyone meet in the common area, now."

"You mean the lounge?"

"Now's not the time Skye," Simmons quietly warned back.

"Common area, now," Coulson repeated.

Ward said nothing as he brushed past everyone and headed for the lounge. Skye soon followed him asking, "What was that all about?"

"Simmons," Coulson helped guide Fitz over to her, "get Fitz some ice or something for his busted lip."

"Yes, sir," Simmons gently took Fitz by the arm and led him away.

May waited until it was all clear before telling Coulson, "Looks like we're gonna need a new theory."

"It would appear so."

"Be honest: you thought Fitz was in love with Ward for a second."

"I admit, the idea crossed my mind at first."

"At first?"

"Riddle me this Melinda: how can Fitz be in love with Ward when he's clearly in love with Simmons?"

"Let me guess, you already have a new theory."

Coulson turned to her with a stern expression on his face. "Make sure Fitz doesn't require serious medical attention and then escort him and Simmons to the common room."

May turned to leave, but then turned around when she stood in the doorway. "You can call it what you want, but it's really a lounge."


	7. Enlighten Us

_**Workout Area: roughly five minutes ago** _

" _Can I ask you something?" Skye broke a bout of silence._

_Fitz groaned. "Why do people ask me that first? Just ask the bloody question and get it over with."_

" _I guess people ask that to prepare you."_

" _For what?"_

" _For the question I guess. I dunno; it's just an observation."_

" _What's your question Skye?"_

" _You think Ward and Simmons make a cute couple?"_

" _Wh—wh-why would you ask that?"_

" _Because Ward is totally in love with her."_

_Fitz looked at her in disbelief. "No, he isn't."_

" _Uh, yeah, he totally is. I mean, he won't say it out loud- I don't think he's the kinda guy who would do that- but that letter he wrote totally says it all."_

" _What letter?"_

" _He wrote Simmons this cheesy ass love letter saying something like 'I didn't realize how much you mean to me til I almost lost you'...blah, blah, blah, 'I need you'…blah, blah, blah. You know, don't know how good you have it til you almost lose it sap. Anyway, I was thinking if he and Simmons get together then…" Skye noticed an angry looking Fitz storming out of the workout area, "…Fitz? Fitz, where are you going?" Skye got no reply. "What is he…" she tore off her boxing gloves and started to follow him._

**Common Area/Lounge: now**

Skye caught up with Ward as he made his way into the lounge. "Okay, what the hell was up with that?!"

Ward turned around to face her and looked equally pissed. "What did you do?"

"Me? How is this my fault?"

"I noticed you come in like you where chasing after Fitz. Did you say anything to him?"

"I asked Fitz if he thought you and Simmons made a cute couple."

"Why would you ask that?"

"I know you wrote that love letter for Simmons and I wanted to know how Fitz felt about that."

"Jesus, Skye!"

"How was I supposed to know he would do that?"

"I told you not to tell anyone about that letter."

"You told me to keep the letter away from Coulson and his office; you didn't say I couldn't tell anyone else."

Ward hated to admit it, but she had him there. "That was poor choice of wording on my part."

"Why didn't you want Fitz to know about the letter?"

"He already knows about the letter."

A puzzled look flashed across Skye's face. "He does?" She exhaled. "Wow, I am way beyond confused at this point."

"Then let's sort everything out shall we," this was Coulson's way of indicating his presence. "Well, once Agent May escorts FitzSimmons back to the common area." Coulson turned to Ward. "Let's hope for your sake Fitz doesn't require any serious medical attention."

"With all due respect, Fitz-"

"I don't care that he started it, you should have stopped it. It was wrong for you to fight Fitz; he is not only your teammate, but he is weaker than you."

"He was wearing boxing gloves!"

"And yet you still emerged the victor. The worst he did to you was a bruise to the cheek."

"He also bit me! And he broke the skin."

"Put a Band-Aid on it. And if anything like this happens again you will be downgraded another level and sent to a S.H.I.E.L.D. mandated anger management seminar."

Ward took a deep breath. "Noted, Sir."

"Hey hold up," Skye started, "that's not fair. Why does Fitz get off so easy?"

"During his time at S.H.I.E.L.D. Fitz hasn't accumulated any outstanding warrants or offenses as Agent Ward as," Coulson explained. "Besides, the poor kid just got his ass kicked by Ward." Skye tilted her head and let out a noise of agreement. "It's not like I'd do that to Ward if something like this does happen again."

"You wouldn't?"

"The downgrading of levels automatically happens on a second offense," Ward informed. "You also get saddled with another punishment to fit whatever you're charged with."

"So you've only got one strike basically?"

"Agent Coulson was generous enough to consider this altercation with Fitz as a warning."

"That's all well and good; but that still doesn't explain while Fitz attacked you."

"I suppose we all have our theories," Ward directed this to Coulson (who merely shrugged in shoulders in response). "We're just going to have to sort out the truth."

"And who better to tell us than the boy with the busted lip," Coulson jested.

"For the record Coulson: I did go easy on him."

May was the next one to come into the lounge with FitzSimmons not too far behind. "Nothing serious as far as Simmons and I can tell," she reported back.

"I told you I went easy on him." Both Coulson and May turned to Ward with disapproving expressions on their faces.

Coulson craned his neck to see Fitz holding an ice pack to the right side of his mouth. "How you feeling Fitz?"

When Fitz lowered the ice pack, he was revealed to have a gauze pad placed over the majority of his lip. "I cuh e etter, Ir," if Fitz was hard to understand before, then he was undistinguishable with a busted lip.

"Anyone else catch that?"

"He says he could be better, Sir," Simmons translated.

Skye cocked an eyebrow to her. "You can understand him?"

"Of course…can't any of you?"

Ward pointed Fitz's mouth, his mouth, then Fitz's mouth again. "It's kinda hard with the gauze pad."

An angry Fitz pointed at Ward. "Iss iz urr aul ooh oopid anker!"

Simmons gasped. "Fitz!"

"What did he say?" Ward questioned.

"Believe me, it's not very nice," Simmons helped guide the ice pack back to Fitz's mouth. "All you really need to know is he's blaming you for his lip."

"Understandable."

"I trust everyone wants to get this over and done with," Coulson suggested. "I'll get started when you all sit down." He waited until they were all seated. "We've had an 0-8-4 making its way throughout the Bus today. Any information and theories on its origins are nowhere near verification and a fingerprint analysis proved to be futile because everyone's fingerprints were found on that letter. And while some footage Agent May acquired was helpful, it still doesn't determine where this billet-doux originated."

Skye gave Coulson a weirded-out look. "Billet-doux?"

"Loosely translated, it's French for love letter," Ward explained. "Sounds classier."

"You speak French?"

"Oui," Skye couldn't help but smile at his smart aleck reply.

"Can I continue please?" Coulson brought back the focus. He waited for them to shut up before he continued talking. "This whole incident began when Agent May came across the discarded letter near the common area trashcan assuming it was a message from S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ because the letter had been printed on S.H.I.E.L.D. stationary. Upon further discovery…it wasn't. Agent May brought the letter to my office, I set it on my desk, we leave the office, and when I come back I find Skye sneaking out of my office and the love letter gone."

Skye folded her arms across her chest. "So you're implying I took it?"

"Do we need to get the truth serum?"

"I wasn't denying, or confirming your implication. I was just asking if you thought I took it."

"Skye, please, we all want to get this over with. Did you take the letter from my office or not?"

"Okay fine, I took it."

"Now may I ask why you did that?"

"I dunno, it was like that one lone paper on your desk was just begging to be read. In my excitement I forgot I could've taken a pic with my phone or something. So I took the letter, and you busted me."

"What happened after you took it?"

"I wanted to tell someone because I thought the letter had something to do with you. We don't know any of your secrets AC; I figured this way we'd get one quick glimpse into your personal life."

"When I questioned you later you said you showed the letter to Ward."

"Yeah."

Coulson looked at Ward. "Agent Ward?"

Ward exhaled a deep breath. "I told her who the letter was really for and then asked her to keep it away from you and your office."

"Which I did," Skye reminded.

"I don't know what happened next because Agent May called me into the interrogation room."

"Why did Agent May call you into the interrogation room?" Coulson questioned.

"Because security footage caught me throwing letter at the trashcan, but missing."

"And Skye had the letter at the time?"

"I don't know what she did with it but somehow it got back to you if you were able to run a fingerprint analysis."

"Yes, how did the letter get back to me?"

All eyes turned to Skye. In defense, Skye raised her palms. "Don't look at me; I kept it away from Coulson and office like Ward said."

"So what happened to the letter?"

"I gave it to Simmons."

"Why did you give it to Simmons?"

"Because that's who Ward told me the letter was for."

Coulson looked back at Ward. "How do you know this Grant?"

"Aren't you gonna ask Simmons what she did with the letter?" Skye found herself defending Ward again. "Because she had to have done something for it to get back to your office."

Coulson focused his attention on Simmons. "Simmons?" Simmons was staring off in thought and using hand gestures to help with her thinking. "Simmons!"

Fitz nudged her and tilted his head toward Coulson. "Immons, Coson's allking uh ooh."

Simmons regained focus and addressed Coulson. "Sorry Sir, I was just…I don't understand."

"What don't you understand?" Coulson asked her. "Fitz?"

"I thought the letter was from Skye."

Skye's eyes widened. "You thought I wrote the letter for you?" Ward couldn't stop himself from snickering after that (earning a jab to the shoulder from Skye). "Why did you think it was from me?"

"Well, you didn't exactly say who it was from."

"That's why I wanted to talk to you about it later when it was just the two of us girls. See, I thought Ward had written it for you, but was too chicken to send it." Skye looked at Ward. "You do seem like the kind of guy who would do that because you're afraid of love."

"If I had romantic feelings for a woman I would tell her face to face," Ward admitted. "I'd do the same if I didn't have feelings for her either and I wouldn't be afraid to. I'd tell her and get it over with. Simmons, did I tell you whether or not I had feelings for you?" Simmons shook her head no. "I rest my case."

"So you thought the letter was from me?"

"Well…" Simmons was twiddling with her fingers, "…yes and no."

"That answer makes zero sense."

"Yes, I did think the letter was from you."

"So you did think I was in love with you?"

"Yes, but-"

"I do love you, but like sisterly love or best friend love and not…I am straight."

Simmons couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "I suppose it was foolish of me to think that, yes, and I am sorry if I offended you."

"No, it just…it just caught me off guard. That still doesn't explain how the letter got back to Coulson."

Simmons pointed. "I passed the letter to Agent May and she left with it."

"May?"

A deadpan May turned to Skye. "I do have a caring side."

"Heh?"

"Agent May was worried about me," Simmons elaborated. "She came to check on me, realized I was upset, and wanted to talk."

"That's right, you did sound upset when I knocked on your door. I thought maybe if you knew someone liked you it might cheer you up. So you give the letter to May and she brings it back to Coulson…"

"…and May thought Simmons was upset because she thought Simmons wrote the letter for me, but I threw it away," Ward concluded before turning to May. "You did think that right?" May nodded. "That's not the only reason Simmons could have been upset."

"It seemed the most probable theory," May defended. "She was upset and the letter had something to do with it. Coulson even agreed with it after his theory of Skye typing it for Ward didn't pan out."

"The security footage threw me off, yes," this was Coulson's way of admitting May was right. "But it seemed that our shared theory was compromised when the analysis results came back with everyone's fingerprints."

"Plus Ward revealed Fitz typed the letter and had given it to him."

Skye looked at Fitz. "Ward told me right before this started that Fitz wrote it."

Coulson diverted his gaze at Fitz. "Do you deny writing this letter Fitz?"

Fitz lowered the ice pack and sighed. "Oh."

Simmons raised her finger in a know-it-all sort of manner, "That means no."

Coulson tried not to roll his eyes to her. "Thank you Simmons." After his (somewhat condescending) thanks, he turned his attention from Simmons to her partner. "This little stunt you pulled- while sweet- was incredibly stupid, Fitz."

"Es Ir," Fitz responded back without looking at Coulson.

"But you're not entirely at fault," Coulson faced Ward. "Most of the blame rests upon the first person you gave the letter to." Suddenly all eyes were on Ward. "Agent Ward, could we please hear this from your side? What do you have to say about all this?"

Ward huffed out a breathy laugh. "Do you really want to know what I have to say about this?"

"Enlighten us."

"I say this whole thing was stupid from the get-go. Fitz only roped me into playing mailman because I confronted him about his feelings and told him to be honest. I don't know why I'm getting the blame! If Fitz had just told Simmons up front that he's in love with her then this none of this crap would be happening."

Simmons turned to Fitz. "Leo, you…love me?"

Even though he was facing her, Fitz didn't make eye contact with Simmons as he nodded. "Uh etter uz fo ooh."

"The letter was for me?" Another nod. "I thought you wrote that letter for Skye."

Skye raised an eyebrow. "Say what?"

"I knew Fitz wrote the letter; I found it in his handwriting at his lab workspace on the back of your file."

"My _file_?"

Simmons didn't really pay attention that last part. "I knew Fitz had a crush on you and I assumed he wrote the letter for you."

May finally understood that the third person in Simmons' story was Skye, not Ward. Simmons was talking about Fitz falling in love with Skye, and not her falling in love with Ward (though using the actual names probably would have ended this a lot faster). "Is that why you were upset? Because you realized that you had feelings for Fitz?"

Fitz looked at Simmons in bewilderment. "Immons, ooh av feeings fo me?"

Simmons let out a watery laugh. "Silly Fitz: I've always had feelings for you."

"Oh!" He thought about what she said and realized all of the missed signs. "Uddy ell, I m uch an idio." Simmons couldn't help but laugh at that. "Oh, id ooh ike uh etter?"

Simmons blew out a breath. "I've read that letter at least three times and I honestly don't remember what it says."

"Well Jemma," Coulson pulled a rumpled paper out of his suit pocket, "maybe this will refresh your memory," everyone watched as Coulson passed Simmons the letter. "Please note this letter reflects Fitz's personal feelings, and not my own."

Simmons chuckled at that before rereading the letter. "Leo, why didn't you just tell me you felt this way?"

"I uz afay to," Fitz confessed. "Ooh ov all eeple hood huv own at."

"I suppose I should have, shouldn't I?" Fitz nodded. "Well you could have saved everyone a lot of trouble if you had just said my name." Fitz then started to remove the gauze. "Fitz, what are you-"

"What I should have done in the first place," Fitz threw the gauze aside and cupped his hand around Simmons' cheek. "I love you Jemma," he softly said.

And then he kissed her.

This display of affection earned an 'aww' from Skye, a satisfied smirk from Ward, and a serious looking Coulson and May exchanging glances before Coulson cleared his throat. "I think you've made your point Leo."

Fitz was the first to pull away. Once he did, he immediately brought the ice pack back to his lips. "Good, because that bloody well hurt. Don't get me wrong it was fantastic..."

"I'll say," Simmons and Skye both muttered in unison (both unaware that Ward had done a double take at Skye when she spoke with Simmons).

"…but maybe I should've waited at least until til the swelling went down."

Coulson huffed out a laugh with his mouth closed. "I guess this means the two of you have some forms to fill out. I'd like it finished sometime today please." Fitz and Simmons nodded in sync. "You're all dismissed."

Simmons, the first to rise, offered her hand to Fitz. "Come on; let's go take care of that lip."

Fitz slyly raised an eyebrow as he took his hand in hers. "Is that code for more kissing?" Simmons giggled as the two of them walked off holding hands. "I actually quite like kissing."

Skye swooned at that. "They make an adorable nerdy couple, don't they Ward?" While staring in FitzSimmons' direction, she held her out and in front of him. Ward sighed, took out his wallet, and passed Skye a twenty dollar bill. "Thank you," Skye nearly bounced up out of her seat. Before leaving, she turned back to Ward. "See you in training? I figured I'd go while I'm still dressed for the occasion," Ward nodded. "Cool, I'll go warm up," she gave him an awkward smile before heading for the workout area.

Instead of getting up, Ward turned and faced Coulson. "That wasn't the letter, Sir." Coulson looked back at him with a blank expression. "I folded the letter before throwing it away. That letter didn't match my folding style."

"That's because it wasn't the letter you threw away," Coulson told him. "That letter fell out of Fitz's pants pocket during your altercation. I picked it up off the ground when I helped bring Fitz to his feet."

"Then how did you know the letter was for Simmons?" May asked.

"Fitz and Simmons; they were bound to happen eventually. They just needed a little push." May cocked an eyebrow at him. "And yes, they do make a rather cute couple." Coulson left with a smug smile on his face.

Ward shook his head. "Crafty bastard."

"You're one to talk," May remarked.

"Beg pardon?"

"I watched the lounge footage from every angle, Grant. You deliberately missed that trashcan. Why would you do that if you didn't write the letter?"

Ward smiled. "Everyone has a fantasy of bringing together two people destined for one another," he turned to her with a smirk. "If I was going to play Cupid, I wanted others to see my work- preferably without having to tell anyone that I was responsible."

"So you're a secret romantic?"

"And you care." An actual smile formed across May's face. "I'm a firm believer that when you love someone, you tell them in person. I helped Fitz realize that, and you all got to witness me being right without me having to rub it in." She rolled her eyes. "And because you saw that I deliberately missed the trash, you were able to edit the security footage to make it seem like I missed by chance and show the video to Coulson." May grinned like a Cheshire cat. "And yeah, I also thought that maybe we could all use some good-natured excitement after what happened yesterday."

"I have to admit," she turned to Ward with that same Cheshire cat grin, "I did enjoy seeing Fitz punch you in the interrogation room."

"That took me by surprise…and it hurt. He packs a pretty powerful punch for a little guy."

"That reminds me: I took off his boxing gloves and left them in the medical unit. Take them back to the gym when you go to your and Skye's training session."

"Will do," as he began to leave, Ward stopped and turned back to May. "You know, I forgot Fitz stuffed the letter in his pants pocket. I was there, I saw him do it, I just can't believe I forgot."

"It's easy to forget the little details when you only look at the whole picture."

"A wise observation, Melinda."

"Before you go, there's still one thing I have to ask: if you wanted Leo and Jemma together, why did you give Skye twenty dollars?"

"After seeing Fitz's pitiful attempts at flirting, I thought he was in love with Skye. Skye, however, thought Fitz was in love with Simmons. We made a bet to see who was right."

"So in addition to showing your secret romantic side and being ride, we all saw you lose a bet?"

"Yeah, I kinda wished I knew that before I lost twenty bucks to Skye."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FITZ TRANSLATIONS (in order):  
> "I could be better, Sir"  
> "This is your fault you stupid wanker"  
> "Simmons, Coulson's talking to you"  
> "No"  
> "Yes, Sir"  
> "The letter was for you"  
> "Simmons, you have feelings for me"  
> "Oh! Bloody Hell I am such an idiot"  
> "So, did you like the letter"  
> "I was afraid to"  
> "You of all people should've known that"


	8. So That's What He Meant By That

"Hello Skye," Coulson greeted the hacker as she entered his office later that day. "Thanks for knocking."

Skye closed the door behind her. "I wanted to ask you something."

"Is this about your parents?"

"That depends."

"On?"

"On what's on my file."

"Your file?"

"During the meeting thing Simmons said something about Fitz writing on the back of my file. What exactly is my file? Or are you not at liberty to discuss that?"

Coulson opened a drawer in his desk and slid Skye her file. "The head of a S.H.I.E.L.D. team is required to pass out files like this to their agents."

"And I don't have one because I'm not an agent."

"Not yet. When you become an agent you will be handed files on your respective team members."

Skye picked up the file and looked it over. "My file doesn't say much."

"It's basic information and whatever personal details S.H.I.E.L.D. knows that they feel is important. Your file doesn't say much because S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't have much to say about you, or this all they're willing to say about you. When you become an official agent and join a S.H.I.E.L.D. team then you're given files of the other team members; but by the time you get them you'd probably know everything there is to know about everyone anyway."

"Do all files look like this?" Coulson reached in the same drawer and handed Skye a stack of papers. At the top of the stack was Agent Ward's file. "Are these everyone's files?"

"You're not an official agent; you shouldn't be seeing any. I'm being lenient here in showing you Ward's."

"Then what's this other stuff you handed me?"

"Why don't you see for yourself?"

Skye set Ward's file back on Coulson's desk and looked at what had been underneath. "Is this..." she flipped through the other papers, "…these are Ward's reports on me?"

"Actually, that's just one report."

"It's nine pages long."

"I've asked him to reduce the number of pages in his report, but he couldn't. To save paper we arranged it so his reports are verbal. My summary of his reports are usually written- and shorter."

"Why are you giving me this?"

"Not giving, lending; I want that report back. And I don't want Ward catching you with that."

"Why?"

"Why don't I want Ward catching you with that? That should be fairly obvious."

"No, why do you want this back? I looked at the date; it's from over a month ago."

"I like to keep papers like that in my archive drawer."

"Archive drawer?"

"I don't know why you were so worried," Coulson's sudden subject change was vaguely confusing.

"Come again?"

"He doesn't say anything bad about you."

Skye's eyes lit up, but she kept cool. "He doesn't?"

"Just a few pieces of constructive criticism here and there; but essentially nothing bad. I trust you'll like what he has to say." Skye bit her lip to contain a noise of excitement from escaping her lips. "You can go now."

"Thanks again AC," Skye thanked him.

"Oh, and you can send FitzSimmons in now."

Confused at first, Skye understood what he meant when she saw Fitz and Simmons on the other side of the door with paperwork in each of your hands. "I'll leave you three alone," Skye quipped as she left.

"Come on in guys," Coulson allowed. He watched as the two apprehensively stepped into his office and set their paperwork on his desk in perfect sync. "Okay, what did you do?"

Fitz nudged Simmons. "Tell him."

"You tell him the first part," she retorted back.

"Wh—why should I?"

"Because the first part was your fault."

Fitz sighed. "Sir, about earlier…see, I accidentally made more than one copy of the letter."

"I'm aware," Coulson replied.

"You are?"

"The letter that is in your possession was not the same one with everyone's fingerprints on it- rest assured that particular letter has been taken care of."

"So which one did you give Simmons?"

"The one that fell out of your pocket during your fight with Ward."

Fitz smacked his forehead. "That's where I stashed the second one!"

Coulson raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean _second_ one?"

"Well Sir…" this time it was Simmons' turn to talk, "…Fitz had printed three copies."

"Three copies?"

"The one with everyone's fingerprints- which was the one we thought we had."

"And the one I thought I lost but was actually in my pants," Fitz added. "Perhaps I should've worded that last statement better."

Coulson gave them a wary look. "Where's the third copy?"

Fitz gestured to his partner. "Go on, tell him."

Simmons took a deep breath. "Fitzthoughtthethirdcopywasthesecondcopyand-"

Coulson stopped her, "A little slower please, Simmons."

"She said that I thought the third copy was the second copy and then you asked her to slow down," Fitz translated.

 _How the hell do they do that_ , Coulson wondered. "And what did you do with that third copy?"

"I put it in the left side of a folder labeled 'CLASSIFIED'…"

"…and I put the anti-serum notes on the right side of the same folder," Simmons finished.

 _Shit_. Maybe there was a chance this wasn't going to end the way Coulson assumed (and given the events of today it wasn't a good idea to assume). "Where is the folder now?"

"Well, you see Sir…I gave the folder to you."

Internally panicking- but maintaining composure on the outside-, Coulson reached for the only folder on his desk. He knew he sent Maria the paperwork, but maybe he accidentally sent her his own private folder instead of the folder with the notes. Opening the folder, he tried not to lose his cool when he saw the rough draft for his Captain America novel staring back at him.

Though he was grateful Maria or anyone else wasn't going to see that.

"So you're the last one to know what happened to it," Fitz concluded.

Coulson whistled. "I do know what happened: I sent those notes in to Agent Hill," he put his private folder in another drawer. "I was preoccupied with today's events that I neglected to double check your notes."

"Those notes were intended for Dr. Streiten, Sir," Simmons reminded. "Wouldn't Dr. Streiten get the letter?"

"Maria double checks everything before sending files where they need to go." Coulson pinched the bridge of his nose. "And of course I told Maria I had a surprise for her." FitzSimmons bit their lips as Coulson lowered his hand and looked at them. "This conversation never happened. Understood?" They both nodded simultaneously. "You're dismissed."

"Ladies first," Fitz gestured for Simmons to leave first.

"Oh and Leo," Coulson stopped Fitz before he was officially out the door, "take this relationship slow before you two…do anything…in the bedroom," yeah, that was a better way of saying 'have sex'.

It still made Fitz blush regardless. "Agent Coulson, please; it's not like we're married," and with that, Fitz left.

 _It's nice to know there are still some traditional couples out there_ , Coulson smiled as he thought about that.

 _Back to business_. He started preparations for a video conference call with Agent Hill.

"Agent Coulson," Maria sardonically greeted.

Coulson tilted his head at her. "Maria, please, it's Phil."

"Can I help you with something Phil?"

"Remember how I told you I had a surprise for your new office; one that you can frame?"

"Yes, you asked for my opinion once I got it."

"Well…I wanted to personally explain myself. See, we had a 0-8-4 circulating the Bus in the form of a billet-doux-"

"A love letter?"

"Billet-doux sounds classier. Anyway, the agent who wrote the letter had three typed copies. One managed to get everyone's fingerprints on it, another copy an agent lost in their pocket, and the third was…"

"…was accidentally sent to Dr. Streiten." Maria pursed her lips together, "Ah, so that's what he meant by that."

"Beg pardon?"

"Streiten told me to tell you he was flattered, but he doesn't think of you like that. I didn't know what he meant by that, but now I do."

"So you didn't get the letter?" Maria shook her head. "But don't you double check the folders before sending them off?"

"Today's been a pretty hectic day…"

"You can say that again," Coulson muttered under his breath.

"…and I skipped over a few things to meet other important quotas."

"Is it safe to bet you got my little present?"

"Nope."

"I placed it in the paperwork intended for you."

"I went through that paperwork; I didn't see anything surprising."

"Are you sure? How could you miss it?"

"Miss what?"

"My drawing; the one with the porcupine beside a poop with knives sticking out of it."

"Oh that?"

"Yes, that."

"Yee-ah," she stressed out that word, "I threw that away."

"I noticed you left out the word 'accidentally'."

"It wasn't an accident. I just glanced over it without really looking and threw it away."

"You shredded it, didn't you?"

"No, it's sitting in my garbage. I take it that was my gift to frame in my new office."

"I spent a good chunk of time perfecting that drawing for you."

"Well I'll take it out before I go and I'll frame it tomorrow."

"Thank you. Oh, and I'll be sending you a new shipment of interoffice relationship forms."

"Fitz and Simmons?"

"Obviously."

"About time."

"How do you think Fury will react?"

"He'll play it cool, but then mutter 'about damn time' under his breath," Maria imitated Fury as best she could. "I think he's made bets with some of the scientists."

"You need to work on your mimicking skills."

Maria scowled. "Is there anything else you want Coulson?"

"Let me ask you: did you have to fill out those forms for your movie date with Captain America?"

"His name is Steve! And seriously, how do you know about that?"

"Goodbye Maria," Coulson turned off the video conference call.

…

Setting the plane to auto-pilot, May headed to her bunk for a well-deserved rest. When she entered her bunk, she didn't show emotion when she discovered a re-folded piece of paper with S.H.I.E.L.D. stationary on her bed. Obviously, it was the same letter everyone had gotten their hands on, but with one minor difference: the letters _AC_ beside a hyphen handwritten near the bottom.

And a genuine smile flashed across Melinda May's face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed this little story. Peace out!


End file.
